Strange How Things Change
by Nirvana Renegade Seiga
Summary: It's been months since Jak last saw Jinx, or even Haven City. But now he's back in the city and finds Jinx in worse shape than he thought. "You don't care about me, Pretty-Boy." Jak shrugged. "You may believe I don't, but Dark does." Jak/Jinx & Dark/Jinx
1. Chapter 1

**Strange How Things Change**

**Disclaimer:** I do not own Jak and Daxter, nor of anything that belongs to Naughty Dog.

**Author's Note:** After almost a year of not being anywhere near I've decided to re-enter the fandom of Jak and Daxter with a bang. No pun intended. With the recent decline of story expectation, I thought that maybe I'd come back, crank out this one-shot and maybe rewrite all those other older fics I wrote when I was 13 and 14. Wow... I was young when I wrote those! Anyways, read on.

**Warning:** Spoilers all through and up to Jak X, yaoi (boy on boy action) and mild language.

Note-

**blah blah** Dark or Light talking to Jak

"** blah blah blah"** Jak responding to Light or Dark

* * *

His wheels crossed the checkerboard line nanoseconds before UR-86's sped across, screeching as the robot slammed onto his brakes, empty eyes glaring at the hero with the glistening blond hair. Cheers erupted from the crowd and several other racers crossed the line, but no one paid them any attention, just looked upon their hero with adoring eyes and hopeful smiles.

Jak took his medal, giving Torn a small tilt of his head. The ex-KG commander returned it slowly, his arm curling around Ashelin's waist as she walked up next to him, equally as sweaty from the race they had just done. Sig had suggested it. _"Come on, chillipeppers. I think a good race ought to do us all some good!"_ The race had been good, it was a way to release energy without sneaking away from Kras City to let Dark and Light out to frolic around, spending their eco reserves before disappearing back into his mind.

**I'd sure like as hell to go 'frolic' around the Wasteland. Haven't let either of us out lately, Jakkie-boy,** came Dark's slow dreadful drawl, echoing around Jak's mind.

He ignored his other half, signing an autograph and continuing on with others who were offering their papers and pens. He tried not to let his other egos notice how much the nickname bothered him. "**The race was enough. You don't need to waste the extra eco that's so hard to come by,"** he ordered to the two of them. **"Just... try and be my mind, alright? Don't talk, just pretend."**

**Sounds like a bad tagline for a movie. **Light said it that time and Jak's green eyebrows lifted. Light didn't know what movies were, once upon a time. But things change, they always do.

"Hey, Jak!" Daxter called from their vehicle, painted black with a sleek red racing stripe down each fender. "Let's go over to the Bloody Hook and get a drink, hmm?" He asked, bouncing slightly. "I'm starving and they have food!"

Jak slid into the driver's seat, one leg dangling down absentmindedly as he looked out over Kras City. He could see the lights of the Bloody Hook off in the distance and knew that the rest of their friends were probably already there. Keira was probably waiting for him, waiting with food and drink and a kiss that would promise things later. His heart thudded suddenly.

"Dax?" He asked softly, turning and pulling on his goggles and bandanna. The ottsel looked at him curiously and slowly copied his movements. "How about we go to the Naughty Ottsel, back in Haven?" Dark and Light's confusion swirled around in him. **Haven**** City****? What's there? Keira is here, waiting for you,** Light said and Jak could see his head cocked to the side, glowing white wings fluttering against his back slowly.

**"I need a change of scenery, Daxter needs to see Tess and I could do with a homemade meal that didn't have strange spices on it,"** Jak murmured back to the two and started the engine.

"Whoo-hoo! Tess-baby is going to love this!" Daxter said and was beaming excitedly as he buckled down, bandanna pulled across his nose and mouth. Jak grinned beneath his and with a run through his short hair, gunned the engine and sped off towards the city's borders.

**Haven City**

The Naughty Ottsel was more packed than ever and as Jak parked his vehicle next to the zoomers in the small parking lot out back, he felt a sense of déjà vu, being here again. It had been months since he'd been here, the place he'd called his job, his home and then the head quarters. Strange how quickly things changed. "Honey, I'm home!" Daxter bellowed, throwing open the back door and strutting into his bar.

Jak chuckled softly as he heard Tess's amazed squeal of happiness, closing the back door softly behind him. The bar was packed; every table was taken, new tables were added in the center and those were full, the bar was packed and two new bartenders were working there, smoking cigarettes and serving out colorful drinks and beers as if it were water, taking money up with even smoother hands. He sat down at an empty bar stool and watched as Tess continued to smother her ottsel lover with kisses and exclamations of 'YAY'. He ordered a beer and folded his hands on top of the bar, sighing and looking up at the trophies that decorated the ceiling and walls. Kor's head was right above them, with Jak and Daxter's picture next to it. Pictures of pin-up girls, Kras City trophies, and even a singular Precursor Orb glistened up there where everyone could see, but never touch.

"Thank you for bringing my snookums back!" Tess said, suddenly throwing her lithe orange body against Jak's chest and part of his mouth. He coughed, getting a good bit of hair down his throat. "It was dreadful here without Daxter!"

Jak coughed and smiled softly, pulling her away softly. "You're welcome, Tess. Anyone around here that I might know?" He was eager to see if he knew anyone anymore, or if they had all moved on to bigger, better greener pastures.

"I think Jinx was here earlier, he's been in a slump lately," she frowned and ran her toe across the ground. "During the war, one of his comrades was killed in the first bombing of the Water Slums, and just a few weeks ago, he lost the other one to a bad explosion in the Metalhead City Area."

Jak frowned softly. He, himself, may not have known Jinx well enough to make a judgment call, but he did know him well enough that his two comrades, stupid and brainless as they might have been, were Jinx's only... friends inside Haven's walls. That might have explained why Jinx was so eager to help during the War, getting his mind off worse subjects. He raised his head to ask another question, but both Daxter and Tess had scampered off, leaving Jak a few more coins for another beer. He smiled softly, shaking his head as he stood up, looking over multiple heads, trying to spot any familiar faces.

A few of the Freedom League guards waved and yelled joyously and he returned them half-heartedly. It was good to see them all, see their faces, so full of joy and relief now that the war was over and things could be back on their rightful track into the future. **Why so interested in the bomber, all of a sudden?** Dark asked abruptly.

**"Just... interested."** Jak answered vaguely and finally caught sight of dirty blonde and sun-kissed hair in the far corner of the bar. He weaved his way through the guards, stopping to shake hands and give a heavy back beating. "**If anything, I can get a free upgrade for my gun from him."**

Jinx was bent over a corner table, his hair loose and oily around his face. It no longer had that smoky look to it from being near bombs too long and his body was lithe, his clothes hanging off his frame loosely. Gaunt fingers were tight around a beer bottle and when Jak stepped in front of the table, blocking the light and tipping his neck to take a swig of his beer, Jinx gave a slight snarl. "Move outta my light."

"You looked like you needed something to annoy you," Jak answered and looked down at the mop of unruly hair.

A dry, humorless chuckle echoed up. "Pretty-boy," it lacked the normal tease to it, "didn't think you'd ever show yer face 'round Haven after racing with them big boys."

"I didn't think about coming back. But Dax wanted to see Tess, and she said you were in a slump," he answered and sat down in front of Jinx. He leaned foreword slightly and reached beneath his rear to pick up what he had set on. It was Jinx's waist holster, gun still inside it, minus all ammo. He frowned slightly and sat it on the edge of the table, facing the wall.

There was a strange, almost companionable silence between them. Jak ordered another beer and leaned back, watching Jinx nurse the singular beer he had been working on for the entire night, it appeared. Finally Jinx raised his eyes and Jak sat up a little straighter at the look in them. His golden hazel eyes, once full of lust and tease were flat and pale, not a singular speck of emotion in them. "Why are you here Jak?"

The hero stiffened even more. In all of his memories, as far as they went back, he could never remember Jinx calling him 'Jak'. Sure, Jakkie-Boy, Dark Boy, Blondie... and other, teasing names, but never just JAK. He frowned and felt the leather of his pants creak against the metal seats. "I told you, Daxter--"

"No, why are you sitting across from me when you could be with your grease monkey girlfriend?" He almost snapped it before dropping his eyes back down. He must have felt Jak's confusion because he chuckled slightly, more dry, lifeless humor. "I watch the news, Dark Boy, Kras City is all about gossip and races. Two things that yer exceptionally good about. Every broad in Haven mourned the day they said you were taken by the mechanic."

Jak shifted slightly. "You sound broken up about it," he tried to make it a joke, grinning crookedly.

Jinx didn't say anything for a long moment. He suddenly stood up, finished off his beer and waved to Tess who was sitting back on the bar with Daxter, talking to customers. He picked up his waist holster and tied it around his waist. It hung lower than normal and Jak winced at how thin the bomber had become. He started to walk away, but stopped next to Jak. "I was Jak, you were the last one around here besides Mog and Grim who gave a damn about me. Now you're gone too, just like the others." He left, bitter and angry and Jak was left staring.

* * *

Part Two will be up within a couple of days. 


	2. Chapter 2

**Strange How Things Change**

**Disclaimer:** I do not own Jak and Daxter, nor of anything that belongs to Naughty Dog.

**Author's Note:** So, it's actually been almost TWO years since I've been on Oh well. Here's the second chapter, may or may not be the last. Enjoy.

**Warning:** Spoilers all through and up to Jak X, yaoi (boy on boy action) and mild language.

Note-

**blah blah** Dark or Light talking to Jak

"** blah blah blah"** Jak responding to Light or Dark

Note, this chapter is a bit of a filler. Mostly Jak's inner monologue and coming to terms with certain... attractions.

* * *

Jak didn't see hide nor hair of Jinx for the rest of his two-day vacation in Haven. His ears were kept open, listening for news of a wild explosion or strange unexplainable deaths. Nothing popped up and he wasn't sure if he should be reassured or worried that Jinx wasn't in the public eye. He wasn't exactly worried about the bomber, after all, what had Jinx done that deserved Jak's attention? Besides blow up most of Metalhead City, break through KG Defenses through the war and even solve the mystery of Mar, through less than favorable ways. 

Jak shifted slightly in his seat of the vehicle that was parked behind the Naughty Ottsel. Okay, so maybe he did owe Jinx some thanks, but that didn't quite deserve his attention, did it? Dark murmured something unintelligible in the back of their shared mind and Jak looked up at the dreary sky. Maybe it did, in a sense, maybe that's why Jinx had been so off the night before. He had said that it meant something to him that Jak had once... given a damn about him and now that he didn't, he had no one else.

**It's entirely possible you might want to track down this bomber before he does something stupid and you give yourself more of a headache than what I'm soaking up for you,** Light drawled, a touch of pain to his words. Jak immediately felt guilty that he had caused such pain to his alter egos. **Just... loosen up, Jak. **

Jak didn't say anything, but he did reach up and rub his forehead, lessening the tension that was building up. All over Jinx. And he wasn't even sure why! Sure, the bomber was great company the scarce times they had gone drinking together after a specially horrific or satisfying mission and sure the bomber was good-looking when the sun shined off his hair just right... but did that call for worry? Concern? Any of those furry emotions that made his stomach feel as if he was falling hundreds of thousands of feet without a way to stop?

He stopped himself again. **"Now you're getting ahead of yourself,"** he said to himself, not expecting and not wanting his other thirds to say anything to that. Jak rubbed his head harder. He went from merely thinking he cared about the dirty blonde to being attracted to him! Where had the switch happened? When did this attraction--if there was ANY--start?

**The first time he asked if he could show you his scars later,** Dark teased, lips grinning in a vague ghostly outline in front of Jak's eyes for half a moment. Jak stilled; hands still in front of his face, leaning against the steering wheel now. Utter silence clouded his mind and as a breeze whipped past him, he could feel every shift of the wind across his skin and through his ears. **That's when the attraction started. You were curious; wondering where those scars were, what they looked like, if they damaged anything worthwhile...**

**"That's enough,"** Jak almost said it out loud, his face darkening to a darker shade of red as Dark's words brought up unwanted images in his mind. Truthfully, he actually hadn't given Jinx's scars much thought. He had thought about the actual maneuvers to get the Blast Bot, but not actually what he had to go through to tame and get it back to the garage in one piece. But now... with Dark's words, he wondered how much of Jinx's body was scarred, how much had been ripped to shreds by lasers and firing guns...

"Hey! Jak!" Daxter's voice cut him out of his musings and he looked up, dark eyes staring out from a surprised face. "How much longer we staying in Haven?" Jak blanched slightly. "A day or so? Tess wants me to stay around so she can throw a birthday bash," he continued, scampering up the vehicle and sitting on the steering wheel.

"Yeah... I'll call Keira and tell her to bring everyone else," Jak said slowly and couldn't hide the smile when Daxter grinned, running back inside, shouting the good news towards Tess. He shook his head slowly and turned on the engine, letting it warm up as he thought of what he could do.

A, go back to his and Daxter's occasionally used home in the energized Water Slums. B, go to the Wasteland and let Dark run around or C, call up Ashelin and ask where Jinx lived just so he could make sure that the Bomber had swallowed lead.

**I'd like to be out for a run...** Dark said hesitantly. Light shoved him out of the way, blue wings whipping around. **No, call Ashelin,** Light ordered. **If only for the fact that your curiosity on where his damn scars came from is overriding your common sense.**

**"Really?"** Jak grinned softly, even as he was already reaching for his communicator and scrolling through to find Ashelin's number. **"I think you have a little crush on him, Light."**

**That's Dark,** Light answered quickly and Jak felt Dark's surprise and embarrassment. His own green eyebrows shot into his hair as he finally found Ashelin's number, someone low on his address book, labeled 'Sexy Red Head- Not Torn'. **Dark's had a Johnson for Jinx ever since he started shooting at Metal Heads in the sewer all those years ago. **

"Jak?"

"Ash, I need Jinx's address. Or at least where he's staying at for the time being," Jak said, letting the communicator float next to him as he slipped into reverse, sliding out of the parking lot. Almost no one in Haven drove a vehicle, zoomers were still the ride of choice and as Jak sped out into the street, he felt very out of place, still talking to Ashelin.

There was silence for a few moments, the only sound were Ashelin's fingers flipping through papers after papers. "He's still living in the slums. By the Southeast entrance to the Fortress, here's a map," she said and her image on the communicator was replaced by a detailed map. Jak stole a look at it, recognizing the spot. He had dropped off multiple hideout members there when Torn had him running around, saving hideout members who couldn't stay hidden from the Krimzon Guards. So that either meant Jinx had a kind heart for hideout members or he just moved into the newest open area. "When, and if you see him, will you tell him that I'm going to need him for some more deconstruction work soon? My men are failing in the Metalhead City section."

"Can do, Ashelin," Jak answered softly and his screen flickered off. He turned into the Industrial Section, looking around with interested eyes. Freedom League guards were working their gloved fingers to the bone, trying to get rid of the remaining KG technology and turn this area into something more livable. Three homes were already set up, between the Slums and the Industrial, the beginnings of a movement into area that even the Baron hadn't allowed life to be. Well... he had allowed life, but only where money was involved. Hotels, Power Plants, small businesses that couldn't get it going in South Town...

His communicator buzzed to life suddenly and he looked over at it in surprise. Keira's face was sitting there, smiling at him. "Hey Jak, when are you 'n Dax due back to Kras City?" Her bright, ocean green eyes were glittering with anticipation.

Jak winced and rubbed the back of his neck softly. Keira saw the movement and her smile wilted. "Actually, if you, Torn, Sig and everyone could come down here, Tess is throwing a bash for Daxter's birthday in the 'Ottsel. You'll be able to get here in time for tomorrow, right? I know that Sig is racing some more, I wasn't sure when."

Keira's smile was back, brighter than ever. She loved going to parties almost as much as she liked the idea of throwing them. "Sig is racing today. We'll be able to leave as soon as he's finished. Torn is in Spargus, he'll be able to take the Transport to Haven," she reported with a mock little salute at the end. "As for me, I'll be there early tomorrow morning."

"Great," his smile was soft and genuine, saved only for her. "I'll see you tomorrow then."

"Yeah, bye Jak," she gave a goofy kiss and then the screen flicked black. Jak lowered the communicator to the seat, eyes glancing at the map that was still on the screen. Guilt washed through him and immediately he was confused by his own guilt. Sure, he could admit to himself that he was attracted to Jinx a strange, twisted way, but he wasn't going over to his house to make a move on that attraction. He was going to make sure that he wasn't dead. Right?

**_Right_**... Both Light and Dark drawled. Jak ignored them both as he gunned the engine again; convincing himself that it wasn't because of his attraction he was going to Jinx's. It was because of concern, a friendly, platonic concern.

**"Right, and yakkows fly out of my ass**," Jak muttered angrily to himself, taking a corner too fast.

**The Fortress/Slum Area**

The Baron's Fortress looked positively ghastly as Jak pulled up next to it, seeing Jinx's house a few dozen yards off. The red metal was cracking and falling to the ground in a slow slide of decay. Death and dark eco rose up from the metal and open cells to tease his nose and he covered his mouth with a bandanna, afraid that Dark would get high off the fumes and convince him to do something he really didn't want to do. Or didn't want to admit to doing.

No Freedom League guards bothered to be back here; no one lived here, and no one was stupid enough to get near old Fortress and Baron Praxis' ruins. No one besides Jinx that is.

Jak grabbed the keys and slid out of his vehicle, walking up to the house where he had seen many a hideout member seek refuge. He raised his fist, covered with blue leather gloves and knocked twice, hard. The wood kicked up dust beneath his hand and he took a step back, one hand resting innocently upon the curved end of his morph gun, still strapped to his back. He didn't need it anymore, but he still carried it, strapped on the back of his blue leather jacket.

"Pretty Boy?" Even Jinx had a touch of surprise to his croaked voice as he opened the door, standing there weakly, a cigar held between two fingers. Two gaunt fingers that were stained yellow with nicotine and still had dirt sitting beneath them. "What are you doin' out here? Thought the Dark Eco might've sent yer senses reeling," there was a certain teasing emotion, hardly there which had Jak giving a short little grin. "And where'd ya get ma'dress?" His speech was a bit thicker than normal and Jak wasn't sure if it was from drinking or lack of strength.

Jak gave a little one shoulder shrug and stuck his foot between the door and the jam lest Jinx decide to throw him out. The bomber noticed this movement and frowned slightly. "Just making sure you haven't killed yourself yet. Tess said you were a bit on edge and yesterday didn't help that." Jinx's frowned increased and he opened his mouth to say something but the renegade beat him to it. "I called Ashelin. She gave me the address and told me that she wants you at the Metal Head Nest tomorrow to knock down the rest."

Jinx frowned and after a moment of severely uncomfortable silence, he opened the door a bit wider. "You obviously ain't leavin', Pretty Boy, so come inside before those fumes set Darkkie out on my ass." Jak rolled his eyes, ignoring the shout of disbelief from Dark. **Those "fumes" will not bother me! Light is taking all the fumes away from me with his damn glowy nose!**

"Dark would like me to tell you that Light is getting the high and Light cannot do anything bad to you," Jak said and stepped inside, around Jinx and into his adobe. **Just what have you gotten yourself into, Jakkie Boy? Right into the beast's lair, that's what you've done.**

**"This is friendly concern, Dark. Nothing more, maybe a little bit less..."**

**Liar.**

Jak nodded softly to himself and the door swung closed heavily.

* * *

Chapter Two. There's at least one more, if not two. For once I'm writing something and I'm going to finish it! Be happy for me!

And please... at least one review?


	3. Chapter 3

**Strange How Things Change **

**Disclaimer**: I do not own Jak and Daxter, nor of anything that belongs to Naughty Dog.

**Author's Note**: So, it's actually been almost TWO years since I've been on Oh well. Here's the third chapter, may or may not be the last. Enjoy.

**Warning**: Spoilers all through and up to Jak X, yaoi (boy on boy action) and mild language.

Note-

**blah blah **Dark or Light talking to Jak

**" blah blah blah"**Jak responding to Light or Dark

Not a filler. Thank you very much. Much more... not much, but much more. INTERACTION!

* * *

_Last Chapter_

**_Just what have you gotten yourself into, Jakkie Boy? Right into the beast's lair, that's what you've done._**

**_"This is friendly concern, Dark. Nothing more, maybe a little bit less..."_**

**_Liar._**

_Jak nodded softly to himself and the door swung closed heavily.  
_

_This Chapter:_

Jinx's home was crowded, messy and smelled heavily of yellow eco. Boxes upon boxes of red Krimzon Guard and blue Freedom League crates were stacked around, on top of each other, balance haphazardly. Wires were tied around the boxes, keeping them pinned against the wall and Jak stepped in a few more feet so Jinx could swing the door shut.

"Why are ya here, Pretty-Boy?" He asked gruffly, pushing past him into the meek living area. Jak followed him slowly, looking around. The front door was connected to the living room, a packed area that was obviously used more as a work space than for entertaining guests. A dirty kitchen was off to the left and a pot of water was starting to boil, a weak flame flickering beneath it. "There should be beer in the fridge," he muttered and sat down at a chair that was pressed against a desk. An open bomb sat there, the Freedom League symbol stamped on it in bright blue ink. Dozens of open weapons that needed to be fixed and upgraded sat around him on the floor, waiting for talented hands to tweak them back into submission.

The renegade shoved his hands into the tight leather and studied Jinx as the bomber ignored him, going back to the work in progress. Dim, swinging lights were scattered in the rooms and his features, once so handsomely tanned and full, were thin and gaunt, almost so pale they were Dark's color. His amber eyes were dull and brown and the bandage on his upper left bicep was caked with dried blood and was most likely infected with disease. A very Tess-like nature rose up in him and he had half a mind to shove food down his lean, skinny throat.

_Thud._The sudden sound of Jinx slamming the tube of yellow eco onto the table shook Jak and he looked away from Jinx's face guilty. **You were staring.**Dark accused him with a fleeting grin. "Jak, why are you here? Staring at me? Pretending you care?" Anger coated his words and he looked up, brown eyes almost burning amber once again.

"I do care," Jak answered honestly and raised his shoulders slowly. "Something's wrong and it's effecting you physically now," he said and sat down on a box gently, hoping he didn't inadvertently set a bomb to go off.

Jinx scoffed and turned back to his bomb, but his fingers had no idea what to do know. He fluttered around his work bench with his hands, angry with his hands, angry with Jak, angry with his concern. Finally he shoved his chair away from the desk. "You don't give a damn Jak!" He stood up suddenly and gripped the table, hoping his mild sway of consciousness wasn't apparent. "You've got yer fans, the media, the chick, hell! Most of Haven City would follow ya over a damn cliff if it meant they'd get more eco to keep their pansy asses floating above everyone else!"

He stalked over to Jak, towering above the hero, amber eyes blazing in sunken holes. "Yer a hero, _Jak,_" he sneered his name, "ya got exiled, came back, saved all of us and then yer the star racer that kills Mizo and lazes around, racing when he wants." He leaned down, nose bumping against the others. "What makes you think that I even want ya here in tha first place?"

Jak stared at him evenly, dark blue-green ocean colored eyes bright with life and interest. He leaned foreword and Jinx pulled back, anger coating his features and twisting them into a snarl across his lips. "You're living in shit, Jinx," he bit out. "You're bleeding from an infected cut, living next to a blown up fortress leaking toxic fumes and dark eco and only beer has been passing through your lips for the last month. So, yeah, I am worried." He stood up suddenly, pushing Jinx back in surprise. Jak, normally inches and inches shorter, seemed taller with the angry rolling off him. "What happened to Mog and Grim, Jinx?"

Jinx suddenly snarled, showing more emotion than he had since Jak had seen him the night before. He shoved Jak into the doorjam behind him, using his height to his full advantage for once. "Who told you?" He snarled, rage deepening the color of his eyes.

"Tess mentioned them. Said that's how long you've been in a slump," Jak shoved his chest foreword, hands gripping Jinx's wrists and hooking his foot around his ankle to switch their positions, pinning him against the door jam. There was only one way he could have pulled that off, and that was with Jinx's low strength. "You're hiding behind their deaths because--"

"You have no right to talk about them!" Jinx snarled, switching their positions again. He shoved Jak's wrists above his head with surprising strength. Jak heard Dark moan for Light's innocence in the back of his mind and shoved the sudden burst of arousal that those words sent into his mind. "You don't know what we went through during the war! You don't know what we had to do to save the city that YOU left behind!"

"So a couple of people got blown up--" Jak started to mock, anger and interest pushing the words out of his mouth. Light's surprise was a cool breeze in the back of his mind and Dark laughed proudly.

Jinx slammed Jak back against the wall again. "Not just anyone, Blondie! My comrade, the guy who had watched my back since I was making boom-boxes in the back of my pop's shop-- he was the one that got blown up!" Rage-filled eyes glared at him from beneath glistening films of unshed tears. "You don't get to talk about what you don't even understand." He threw himself away from Jak, moving back to his desk and away from the hero that was starting to feel guilty. "Leave. Let Dark Boy get high off the fumes, but don't come botherin' me again."

Jak slowly picked himself off from the door jam and brushed off his leather, guilt gnawing at the back of his mind. Light had disappeared and Dark was sitting near the front, almost in his eyes, listening and watching intently. **You've hurt him, Jakkie Boy--**

**"Don't call me that,"**Jak hurriedly said mentally and turned away from Jinx, walking towards the door. "For what it's worth, I know I have no right to talk about Mog and Grim... about their deaths that way... but, you have to understand," he turned his head to face Jinx, who was drowning another beer, his back to the hero, "I do care... in a strange twisted way... plus," a wry grin crossed his face at this, "I don't think Ashelin would ever forgive me for letting her prized demolitions expert die because he wouldn't eat black bread."

He opened the door and a whiff of dark eco hit his nose, sending Dark spinning in a loop. **You've got to stop doing this to me, Jakkie Boy. Light keeps stealing my high so I can keep your mind clean and other attributes inside your own pants. Truly, he should be worrying about me taking advantage of poor Jinxie--**

**"Hush,"**Jak ordered and raised a foot to walk outside. Before the heavy metal could even think about touching the ground and leaving an imprint of his visit to Jinx, the voice rose up behind him.

"Mog was killed in a bomb explosion and Grim died eleven days ago from an infected Metal Head bite that he never got looked at," Jinx said quickly, his back still to Jak. The hero looked over his shoulder in surprise before lowering her foot back into the shabby home and closing the door behind him. "The first week after you were gone, and the Metal Heads attacked New Haven from the old Pumping Station entrances, Mog was on the front lines, setting up boom-boxes with Grim. The 'Heads tripped the lines and set them off too early. Mog was caught in the first couple of blasts and Grim managed to get away with just "the scars on his heart", as he would've said." Jinx gave a wet, choked laugh and sat down in one of the chairs, tipping the beer dwn his throat again.

Jak leaned against the door jam he had been pinned against before and watched the bomber intently, hands curling into dark blue leather and white cotton.

"Grim was attacked by a Metal Head towards the end of the war. A long bite, right here," he stroked the side of his gaunt, sunken in stomach and exhaled slowly, letting his eyes drift closed. "He said he got it looked at, and I believed him, cause, really, who in their right mind would want a 'Head bite sitting around on their bellies? Grim 'bviously did. He never got it looked at and a few weeks ago, he started getting sick and by the time I got a doc to take a look, it was too infected to do anything but give 'em some morphine and wait for the infection to finish its job. Grim didn't get away from that one," he whispered softly, running gaunt and dirty fingers through his blonde hair, getting them snagged on the ponytail holder.

Jak didn't say anything, he had a feeling that Jinx had more to say, and he wasn't going to stop him. No, Jinx was drunk on an empty stomach, and finally had gotten mad enough that he could say what had been bothering him since the deaths of his closest friends.

"But... that wasn't what pissed me off the most, you know?" He looked up at Jak for the first time, but then turned amber eyes back to his bottle. "Sure, I was blood-red at the damn creatures for being the cause of their deaths... but I was pissed 'cause when I went out to the Wasteland to bury some of their equipment for their tombstones, I was the only one out there, giving a damn. The only one who even knew who Mog and Grim were. So I'm sorry Pretty-Boy if I don't believe ya 'I Care For You' speech, too many people said that 'bout Mog and Grim and look where it go them..." He drowned the last of his beer and got up to get another from the kitchen.

Stumbling slightly, Jak just moved out of Jinx's way and watched him with slow, almost concerned eyes. His short hair cut made his eyes seem more serious. Demanding. Wanting. And Jinx kept his eyes averted, popping his next beer open with slowness that surpassed a Mammoth Metal Head. He stopped before the beer touched his lips though and looked through dark eyelashes at the hero leaning against his door, looking out of place; clean blue and bright leather against dark, stained white wood. He looked like a rich boy hanging out in the ghetto for the first time, but Jinx knew better, and gave a short chuckle at the run of his thoughts through his mind. "If you had known, would you have been there?"

It took Jak a moment to answer. Mostly because he was surprised. Would he have been there; saying his last goodbyes to Mog and Grim in the Wasteland with only one other person who gave an ottsel's ass? Would he have even cared? Was the only reason he cared now is because of some twisted attraction Dark had for the bomber? No... he truly cared--Jinx had helped him and the city too many times not to care about him. Grim and Mog had always been there, setting up extra charges when it was needed, and keep Jinx in line when he got too leery and lewd around Jak.

"Yeah, I would've been there," he answered truthfully, conviction running clear through his words. Jinx chuckled and sat down back at his desk slowly, lifting up his left arm and giving it a slow twist.

"I know yer saying the truth there, Pretty-Boy. You won't lie unless it gets you somewhere," he muttered the last part with a crooked smile and swayed slightly in his seat, the beer swinging in his hand.

Jak walked foreword. "I would've been there," he said, laughing softly as the beer fell into Jak's outstretched hand and Jinx fell foreword, unconscious and drunk, into his arms, face slipping between his neck and chin. He sat the beer down softly onto an empty Krimzon Guard crate and stood up, lifting the too light body of the bomber into his arms and gently carrying him a few feet to gently deposit him onto the bed.

A few minutes later he left Jinx's house, a strange feeling in the pit of his stomach, and Dark's teasing words in the back of his mind. **You like him, you like him! And it's not my attraction that got your blood boiling!**

**"Shut up. Please."**

The next morning, when Jinx woke up, starving for the first time in weeks and pleasantly hungover, the first thing he saw was a plate of food sitting on a crate next to him with a class of still semi-cold water and a hastily scribbled note. He sat up slowly, rubbing his face, trying to recall what had been said the night before. He hadn't drunken that much... but maybe his mind had blocked it for some strange, inane reason. He lifted the note.

_'Don't get yourself killed. Eat, don't touch the beer and come to Dax's birthday bash tonight at the Naughty Ottsel. -Jak. PS- You didn't say anything too stupid. Just bared your heart and soul to me. And Dark didn't take advantage of you.'_

Jinx closed his fist over the note as if he was going to crumple it, but hesitated and unfolded his hand, looking down at the note again. Jak's script was messy and barely legible, the characters sloppy and poorly drawn, reflecting a bit too much of the ancient old, archaic letters of the Precursors before it was translated to simplier language. But it fit Jak; he was old time styled and his emotions were like his letters, sloppy, twisted and no one ever quite knew which Jak they were talking to.

He sat the note down and picked up the piece of bread, his stomach growling at him. As he ate the food Jak had so graciously sat out for him, he frowned slightly at the butterfly feeling that erupted inside his stomach everytime he looked at the note.

**Must be the beer trying to come back up, **he muttered to himself and drowned the water.

* * *

Okay, so there went my entire idea of a, what started out as a one shot, turned into a three-shot, now turned into an X-shot. Geeze... can't I ever write small? Oh well..

Review, please? I only have one review.

And that's: satan'stoasterstrudel

Thanks!


End file.
